The student run newspaper for St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin. Since 1929

Experience a Trip of a Lifetime

SARAH KICK | NEWS EDITOR

For many students at St. Norbert College, the idea of going abroad is an item on their “Before I Graduate” bucketlist. Though St. Norbert College already offers many trips of a lifetime, another trip has been added to the list: the opportunity to experience Palestine and Israel first hand.

“Participants will gain a rich understanding of the region and the issues that have long divided the people who live there. After interacting with so many different individuals on the trip, they will be able to describe various groups’ narratives of the past, their serious concerns in the present, and their often shared visions for the future. They will also better appreciate diverse perspectives within given groups, breaking down their own preconceptions and demonstrating a more sophisticated understanding of the longstanding conflict,” said Dr. Robert Pyne, senior director of community engagement at the Norman Miller Center.

This two week trip is aimed to help students better understand the Palestinian and Israeli conflict. This is the second year the trip will be offered at St. Norbert. This trip is focused mainly on interacting with the people who live in these areas and hearing their narratives, however the participants will also get to see all the major tourist and historical sites.

“After this experience, trip participants will be lifelong advocates for better understanding between historical enemies, not just in the Middle East, but in their own communities,” added Dr. Pyne.

The trip will take place on June 13-27, 2017. Dr. Pyne teaches about peace, conflict and human rights, and believes that the best way to explore and learn about these issues is to visit Israel and Palestine.

“The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the most difficult, long-standing, and controversial disputes in the world, and it is taking place in a country frequented by millions of tourists every year,” said Dr. Pyne.

The trip costs $3500 per person including additional costs for the group travel from Green Bay to the destination. In order to be eligible for financial assistance students need a to have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and to be in good standing with the school. Dr. Pyne encourages students to apply if they are interested, even if the cost seems high. Hopefully, the cost will be reduced in order to make this trip available to those interested.

Students who are interested in joining this trip are asked to write an essay of at least 700 words outlining their academic goals and what they believe they will gain from the trip.

“This is going to be an incredible experience—one that you will appreciate for the rest of your life. If you would like to join us, we need to hear from you!” said Dr. Pyne.

If you are interested or would like to gain more information about this once-in-a-lifetime trip, email Dr. Pyne at robert.pyne@snc.edu.